Social Sharing

An estimated 150 protesters surrounded in police 'kettle' manoeuvre on side street

Police declared last year's protest illegal and kettled an estimated 150 people on Châteaubriand Street south of Jean-Talon Street. (Alexandre Touchette / CBC)

Montreal’s 18th annual march against police brutality was declared illegal a matter of minutes after its scheduled start time of 3 p.m. at the intersection of Jean-Talon and Châteaubriand streets.

Montreal police officers dressed in riot gear, including horse-mounted officers, mobilized soon after the announcement to move protesters away from the intersection. An estimated 150 protesters were soon caught in a kettling manoeuvre south of the protest zone on Châteaubriand Street.

A Sûreté du Québec riot squad dressed in green fatigues moved in a short time later to replace Montreal police officers and take over the kettle.

The Jean-Talon Metro station, which is located in the protest zone, was closed around 3 p.m but reopened around 4 p.m.

The Collective Opposed to Police Brutality, which organizes the march to mark the International Day Against Police Brutality, said this year’s march was organized to highlight what it calls “social profiling” by Montreal police officers, or the targeting of those believed to be homeless and therefore "unwanted."

A protester shouts at a police officer during an anti police brutality demonstration in Montreal Saturday, March 15. (Graham Hughes/Canadian Press)

Organizers also pointed to two other separate incidents that saw police shoot and kill Mario Hamel and Alain Magloire after confronting them on the streets for aggressive behaviour. Both men had experienced homeless spells and suffered from mental health problems.